The Nebraska Legislative District 5 race pits a former Omaha fire chief against a relative unknown in political circles.

Mike McDonnell hopes to be the next state senator.

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So does Gilbert Ayala, who has his own ideas for what south Omaha needs.

“I was born in Legislative District 5, I've lived there my whole life and I'm proud to be from south Omaha,” McDonnell says.

Mcdonnell says south Omaha made him who he is today. His parents helped start St. Thomas More school and parish where he attended.

He graduated from Gross High school.

As a senator, McDonnell says he will prioritize strengthening neighborhoods.

“I believe good neighborhoods build good cities and good cities build good states. What creates a good neighborhood, what builds a good neighborhood? It’s good paying jobs, and good public safety and good public education,” he says.McDonnell says through his experience as a firefighter, Omaha's fire chief, and the union president, he's gotten to know families across the metro.

“I've been at the negotiating table. And I've represented the union members and their families and I've represented the citizens of Omaha,” he says.

McDonnell's opponent, Gilbert Ayala, spent much of his life in Texas, moving to the Cornhusker state a few years ago with his family.

“I want to offer the people in the 5th District a conservative choice,” he says.

Conservative values that Ayala says need a voice.

“I believe in smaller government. I believe we could spend less each year in the legislature. I'm very strongly pro-life. I'm on the side of the police, I think we should build more prisons,” Ayala says.

For Ayala, it's faith guiding his decision to run for state office.

“Ronald Reagan stated once that there's nothing wrong with America so long as we can remember Moses brought down from the mountain ten commandments, not ten suggestions, and I think we need to go back to that,” he says.